


Warm My Heart

by Sei_Bellissima



Category: SteamWorld Quest (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Crying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Hypothermia, I’m sorry I’ll leave now, Mentor!Orik, Orik is a complete mess but he’s trying his best, RoboWhump, Robot Feels, Self-Indulgent, Sickfic, Things get HEATED if I do say so myself, Whump, except it’s only like in the second half, there’s a lot of that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-17 05:29:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28843866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sei_Bellissima/pseuds/Sei_Bellissima
Summary: Orik decides to take a young Armilly on a trip to Darkfrost Ridge to give the girl some fresh air and to help her build up some endurance in extreme conditions.He should have known better.Now, with his shivering pupil in his arms, it’s a race against the clock as he tries to find her help.This story takes place in an AU where Orik is a mentor to a young Armilly! Rated T because Whump
Comments: 4
Kudos: 3





	1. Into The Night

**Author's Note:**

> So Armilly is about 7 in this fic, and Orik has been mentoring her for at least a year. Orik’s also a lot younger than he probably is in canon (23 in this fic).
> 
> Also this is technically the second story timeline-wise for this AU but this is the first one I got done first so… yeah
> 
> A bunch of things are obviously very different than they are in canon but I’m not gonna say them all here because this note would get too long (If you do wanna know it all, though, you can read up on things on my Tumblr tag for the AU: <https://sw-seibellissima.tumblr.com/tagged/Mentor%21Orik>)

Orik had barely brushed his knuckles against the door when an overly exuberant Armilly swung it open. It would’ve hit him in the head hadn’t he anticipated her boundless energy, knowing she’d greet him in such a manner.

“Orik!” the girl squealed, practically hooking onto his waist as she squeezed him in a bone-crushing hug. The girl was amazingly strong despite being so young; Orik had to suppress a yelp of pain to avoid upsetting her. Instead, he gasped out a fond chuckle and patted her blond head. “You came early today,” she observed, looking up at him.

“I have some big plans for today, my Spark. It would be adequate that we leave at an early time.”

That excited glint in the girl’s eyes somehow seemed to glow even brighter. “Ooh, where are we going?! Is it somewhere far away?!”

“‘Milly, have some manners; let Sir Orik in!” Armilly’s mother yelled from somewhere inside. The girl shrunk a little in embarrassment.

“Sorry,” she mumbled, moving out of the doorway, allowing Orik to come into their humble abode. Normally, the house would be just big enough for her family, but they had to use a large part of it for their grocery business. Orik often wondered how they could survive with such little living space…

Armilly led Orik into the kitchen where her mother, Joy – a tall woman that had a friendly, maternal air about her – was brewing a pot of tea. She was missing a foot, a wooden prosthetic in its place. She turned from the counter and gestured to the teapot. “Tea?”

Orik nodded, muttering a brief “Thank you” while Armilly pulled a chair from the table for the warrior to sit on. Milly sat herself across from him, cupping her face in her palms, the cutest look of wonder in her face. “So where are we goin’, Orik?”

Orik’s kitsune mask transfigured into a smiling expression. The wooden mask somehow possessed an element of magic that reflected the emotion of its wearer, and to this day Orik refused to reveal how it all worked. “You have been a great pupil, Milly; you’ve proven yourself to be very faithful, and resilient… I’d like to take things a step further.” The grin on the mask changed to one more quizzical. “I was thinking of taking you up to Darkfrost Ridge.”

To say that Armilly was surprised was an understatement. Her jaw was practically on the floor, her pupils shrunken into little dots. “Woah, but that’s like, a super cold place!”

“Indeed it is—elbows off the table, ‘Milly,” Joy said as she walked to the table, balancing a tray of teacups in one hand. “You don’t have any clothes that would keep you warm in those kind of conditions.” After making sure Armilly removed her offending joints from the table, she set the tray down and poured a darkened liquid into the cups, handing one to Orik, who took it thankfully.

“It’s also pretty far… It would take you two days to go there and come back, at the least,” her mother continued.

“Does that mean I can’t go?” Armilly asked, her face already drooping.

“It’s up to your father, and even then we’ll need to figure out how to get some warm clothes for you.”

Orik raised a hand. “I can take care of that for you. I’m acquainted with a tailor down the street.”

“You are?! If I’d known that earlier, I would have you run some errands for me… in fact, let me—”

“Joy, I assure you, any article of clothing that you may want, I will cover it for you. Consider it as thanks to bringing such a bright spark of a student into my life.” Orik gestured to Armilly as he said this, and the bashful girl couldn’t help but squirm in her seat.

Joy eventually left to grab the girl’s father, Arthur, but Armilly knew that he was a busy man and that they were in for a bit of a wait. With how excited she was, the wait felt like forever and all she could do to distract herself was to wash the teacups once she and Orik were finished. Seeing how antsy she was, Orik decided to pull out his shamisen and play a few tunes to entertain her. Armilly was enthralled, as she tended to be whenever he played any sort of music for her.

Finally, Armilly’s parents returned, the girl running up to her father and throwing her arms around his shoulders. “Ah! Armilly, sweetie, you’re choking me,” he said in a strained voice, eliciting a giggle out of Armilly as she loosened her grip.

“So Orik said he wants to take me to Darkfrost Ridge and I wanna go ‘cause it sounds like it’ll be fun but Mom said I gotta ask you first?” The words spilled out of Armilly’s mouth in an excited rush, making her father chuckle.

“Yes, your mother told me all about it,” he said, brushing her metal bangs to the side in a tender gesture. He put on a serious expression as he looked at Orik, making Armilly’s heart drop. Looks like she wouldn’t be going after all…

“Make sure you have my daughter back by the weekend.”

As quickly as it fell, Armilly’s heart leaped in her chest. “Wait, I can go?!”

“Of course you can. I trust that you can take care of yourself. You took down a whole Coglin the other day!”

Armilly hopped up and down excitedly, unable to contain her excited little squeals. “Eeee! Thank you, Dad!”

“You’re welcome, pumpkin. Now go pack a bag; bring only the stuff you need, all right?”

“Okay Dad!”

Arthur smiled as he watched his daughter run off to her room, then turned at the sound of Orik’s footsteps. “Watch after her for us. Make it a point that she brushes her teeth at night, too.”

Orik nodded. “I will take care of her as if she was my own,” he said, adopting a serious tone.

“...That might be pushing it a bit but at least you got the point.”

The mask put on a smirk, reflecting Orik’s good mood. For a warrior as legendary as he was – to the point that his deeds were recounted time and time again by people across the land – one wouldn’t expect him to be such a teaser. He loved to bark jokes and sarcastic comments at Milly and her family, sometimes even going as far as harmlessly pranking them. Nonetheless he was a kind man that did so much for Armilly’s family.

Armilly still remembered the day Orik found her in the woods, trying to fight off a Coglin with what little experience she had with the sword. He had come in and saved her just in time and she was awestruck. The sidekick of the legendary hero _Gilgamech_ saved her and then just a few days later he wanted to _teach her_. She still didn’t know what led him to make that decision, but… she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Within a few minutes Armilly returned with her satchel, which her mother swiftly snatched from her to stuff some food in it, much to Armilly’s dismay. “Don’t put in too many apples; it’ll be heavy!”

“They’re healthy and you’ll get good exercise out of it. Kill two bird with one stone,” Joy teased.

After a few more minutes which consisted of Armilly filling her canteen with water, getting her shortsword attached to her back, and saying goodbye to her parents, Armilly finally set out with Orik. They made a quick stop at the tailors, where Orik found a few warm cloaks that fit Armilly’s gangly body quite snugly. The excited girl gave the tailor an earful about the adventure they were going on, much to the two men’s amusement. Finally, they made a pit stop at Orik’s cottage so he could grab some last minute supplies, including some firewood so they could stay warm at night.

Soon enough Armilly was challenging Orik to race her through the plains, her eager laughter floating up into the air. It was a joy to see her so happy, a sight that delighted Orik to no end. Sure, Orik did plenty of serious training with her, but he especially cherished moments like these—the times where she was rowdy and playful and just wanted someone to have fun with. It reminded Orik of the time when he was her age, naive and energetic—he hadn’t had this much _fun_ since then.

Armilly lit up his life like a candle, and he was thankful for it. It was why he called her “Spark”.

* * *

The trek up the path towards the mountain felt like forever.

Pine trees towered on either side of them, specks of frost sprinkling the top branches. An intensifying chill hung in the air, growing colder as they moved further along. Armilly’s teeth chattered and she huddled close to Orik, who draped his robe around her. The cold wasn't that bad yet so he didn’t want to stop so soon to get their warmer clothes on.

Thirty minutes passed and they had reached the point where the pine trees were topped off with snow caps. “They look like they have funny hats!” Armilly had said, much to Orik’s amusement. Unfortunately it had grown too cold for the poor girl to handle without warmer clothes, so Orik diverted off the path into an alcove of frosty rocks, where he set his bag down to fish out their warmer cloaks.

Armilly cooperated by removing her bag, armor and short sword, allowing Orik to easily slip on the thick garments. Once that was done, she put her armor back on while Orik donned his own warm clothes.

Further along the trail they went, Armilly chasing the birds hanging about to amuse herself. Soft, fluffy snow covered the ground in a thin sheet. Still in a playful mood, Armilly grabbed a bunch of snow and tried to form a ball. Sadly, the snow was not solid enough for her to make a snowball – or anything, for that matter – with and it just crumbled in her hands.

“It’s okay, Armilly,” said Orik, chuckling at her pout. “There is plenty of snow up further in the mountains. You’re sure to find some prime snow fort-building material up there.”

Thankfully, Armilly perked up at that and she assumed her position at Orik’s side.

Then, she grabbed his hand. Orik jumped in surprise.

“Oh my goodness, your hands are freezing!” he said, leading Armilly to giggle.

“Of course they are! It’s sooooo cold up here!” she shot back, trying to huddle closer to her mentor. Orik looked down at her with a knowing smile.

“Are you just saying that so you can cuddle with me?”

Armilly just stared back at him with a look that said, “I think you know the answer.”

“Well you can cuddle with me any time you want, my Spark.” Orik’s smile grew soft and he raised his cloak again, inviting Armilly to huddle under the robes. The girl giggled with delight and hugged him, and Orik draped his robe around her in return, rubbing her head through the cloth.

It was the moments like these that he wished he could freeze time, to cherish forever. Armilly was growing up; it only felt like yesterday he was saving her from that Coglin in the forest…

“Umm… Orik?”

Orik blinked, her voice bringing him out of his thoughts. “Yes, ‘Milly?”

“...Are we gonna go now?”

“Yes, of course; sorry.”

Still huddled together like peas in a pod, the two of them continued onward along the icy path.

* * *

They were behind schedule.

It wasn’t until nightfall that they finally reached the main mountain trail, barely a tree in sight, snow covering every surface around them like a blanket. Orik couldn’t comprehend it, they had left early enough… did they perhaps take too long traversing the paths? Nevertheless, they finally reached a popular cliff for sightseers—the moonlight reflected off of the craggy mountaintops in the distance, giving the snow along the monument a blue, dream-like glow that was breathtaking to witness. This point signified that they were well into the mountains.

But not well into them enough for Orik. At this pace, he won’t be able to accomplish all of the training he had in mind for Armilly…

He supposed he shouldn’t worry about that now. It got even colder at night—cold enough to freeze a steambot’s limbs should they not take the proper precautions. He should find a place to settle down for the night.

Despite Armilly’s heartwrenching protests (“I wanna sit here and look at the stars with you.” Coggarn it; this girl was too sweet for the world.), Orik led her away from the cliff and down the path, and after a bit of walking they stumbled upon a small cave. It was large enough for them to have their own spots to sleep on, plus a firepit.

They swept whatever little bit of snow that had gotten in outside, and Orik dropped his heavy bag to pull out the firewood he had prepared earlier. After ensuring that both the spot in the middle of the cave was dry, he laid out some old rags to light with, then set up some twigs in a traditional teepee shape. He added more rags, continuing to alternate between twigs and tinder material before adding the biggest logs.

“Can I light it this time?” Armilly asked. One thing Orik found curious about his student was her knack for fire magic. She could produce small wisps of fire from her hand, but she was able to do much bigger flames if she had a weapon to channel it into. It was such an odd way of doing elemental magic but since she was still so young, Orik didn’t really question it. He was the one who got her into elemental magic, anyway…

Orik nodded. “Of course, my Spark,” he said with a smile. Armilly got on her knees right in front of the assembly he made, her hand hovering over a small bit of rags. She would’ve used her sword, but she didn’t want to burn all of the tinder all at once with large flames. “Best to start with a small spark,” Orik had told her.

Minuscule flames erupted from the base of her palm, licking against the tinder—it was more than enough to light the flammable material, and the flames grew and spread as it seared through all the tinder and alighted the wood.

Orik smiled and rubbed her head. “Beautiful, Armilly! Much better than last time.”

“You mean that time where I accidentally lit the grass on fire and nearly started a forest fire?”

“You were very lucky there was a well nearby or you would’ve been in big trouble, miss.”

Armilly giggled and threw herself back onto Orik, grabbing his arm and squeezing it. She _loved_ hanging out with her mentor so much; she always had a lot of fun with him! The training was fun too, even if it was hard and it made her super tired. But it was all going to be worth it; she was going to be a hero, just like him!

“‘Milly, you’re hurting me—”

“Sorry!” Armilly felt a blush spread across her face as she let go. Sometimes she didn’t know her own strength…

Orik recognized she was embarrassed and gave her a soft smile, putting a hand on her shoulder. “It’s all right. Did you eat anything yet?”

“Not yet—my apples!” Armilly got up and went to her bag, dragging it back over to her spot. She sat down again and pulled an apple out. Orik had given her some dried veggies to munch on while their were on the trail, but she hadn’t eaten a thing since. And she was _starving_.

“Is something wrong, my— …What are you doing?”

Armilly was holding the apple by its upper half, dangling it over the fire. “They got cold!”

“But they’re tasty when they’re cold!”

She gave him a skeptical look – that he had to hold in laughter at because she looked so silly – and withdrew the fruit. Bringing it up to her mouth she took a big bite and chewed thoughtfully.

“Huh… You’re right!”

“Of course I am.”

That line brought a giggle out of her, which, in turn, made Orik start laughing.

“You’re funny, Orik!”

His mask changed into a smirking expression. “Oh, but I can be even funnier!”

“How?” Armilly asked, unable to hold in her giggles.

“Like...” Orik got up and whipped around. A small plume of steam came out from his neck vents and then he turned back around, striking a silly pose to show off the mask he had just put on. He had donned the Fukunokami mask, or, as Armilly liked to call it, “The crazy silly man mask.”

The effect was instant; Armilly doubled over with laughter and rolled on to her back and it was absolutely adorable to see.

“All right, all right,” chuckled Orik, lifting his mask up. It was just him and Armilly, and she had seen his face before, so he didn’t care about it too much (And it helped that he was in a good mood. He didn’t feel as vulnerable at the moment). He came over to her and knelt down, lifting her up with an arm around her back. Armilly was panting, short of breath from how hard she had laughed. She picked up her bitten apple and started eating it again, leaning into her mentor with a contented sigh.

“We didn’t even start training yet but I’m already having so much fun!”

“I’m glad to hear that. I think you’ll enjoy what we’re going to do tomorrow.”

She looked up at him with a radiant smile, galaxies in her eyes, pure bliss just painted all over her sweet little face. He put an arm around her shoulder and then she suddenly wrapped him in a hug, which he happily returned.

“I like when you take your mask off. You should do it more often.”

By Algyron. What did he do to deserve her?”

* * *

Armilly woke up with intense shivers, her teeth rattling against each other. It suddenly felt so much colder than earlier…

She sat up in her sleeping bag and looked next to her. Her mentor was still sleeping soundly despite the cold…

_Wait a second…_

The fire was out, that was why it felt so cold!

She crawled out of her sleeping bag and up to the firepit to take a closer look at it. A lot of the twigs in the teepee setup had been burned white, yet the bigger logs still looked brown. They could definitely burn for a while longer, but… 

Armilly didn’t think she would be able to light it again without some proper tinder. It would be hard to find something dry up here, though, but… It wouldn’t hurt to have a look, would it? Surely there would be at least one tree around here with some bark to burn.

She quietly crawled back to her sleeping bag and found her equipment laying next to it. She donned only part of her armor for an extra layer of warmth and strapped her shortsword to her back. Just in case.

Out into the wintery wonderland she went, trudging through the frigid snow.

* * *

The wind had started to pick up and Armilly’s scarf was flapping in the breeze like a flag. Dreary clouds obscured the moon as snowflakes started to fall, little white specks in the dark of the night that gently tickled Armilly’s face, like icy little pixies giving her kisses. Even still, the moonlight was trying to break through the midnight storm, blue rays occasionally peeking through gaps in the clouds. It felt so magical, in a way. She was up in these breathtaking mountains, wandering around just as the beginnings of a storm were forming.

She had to be quick, she realized.

Armilly picked up the pace, going as fast as she could through the deep snow. The chills boring through her body were intensifying and making her shiver more. She couldn’t let herself and Orik freeze up here!

The moonlight found another gap to shine through, illuminating the path in front of Armilly, where, much to her surprise, was a dark figure. And they seemed familiar, with their large cape flapping in the wind, the horns coming out of their head…

The light hit the shadowy figure in such a way that some of their finer details were brought to light: A dark gray, worn suit of armor, an orange glow coming out of the small openings. Armilly’s heart leaped up into her throat.

It was _Gilgamech_ , the legendary hero who risked his life to save everyone!

Armilly shook herself from her starstruck state. She could talk to him about his heroic deeds later, she needed his help!

“Gilgamech?!” she called, trying to be louder than the howling winds. “Gilgamech, help!”

He turned to look at her. With his helmet it was hard to tell what he was feeling, but Armilly could pick up a hint of surprise in his body language…

Gilgamech turned back around and fled.

“Wait!” Armilly shouted, starting to run after him. “Please, I need your—”

The stone crumbled under her right foot and Armilly yelped in shock. She lost her balance and fell off the trail—it was elevated, overlooking a valley—

That happened to be the home of a frozen lake.

Armilly realized this with a scream, grunting and gasping as she tumbled down the hill, her armor coming loose. She landed with enough force to break through the ice and into the freezing cold water. Immediately the chill in her limbs grew ten times worse, perhaps more, as she struggled to the surface of the water. Gasping for breath and coughing, the panic was finally starting to set in for her, she was _really_ in trouble now, she could drown, unless— 

“ _Gilgamech! Help!_ ” she shrieked at the top of her bellows, desperately struggling to keep her head above water. “ _Help me, please!_ ”

It was too dark; she couldn’t see anything. The wind, which did nothing to help her temperature and only made it worse if anything, was getting stronger, snowflakes stinging her face.

The only source of warmth she had, the fire in her belly, it was _gone_. The cold water must’ve leaked in and snuffed her furnace. 

Armilly continued to call for help, but as time passed on, and no one came, her panic and anxiety grew, leading her to struggle harder, grasping for purchase on the slippery ice beside her. She couldn’t grab on it properly; she couldn’t pull herself up.

She was going to die here, she realized.

* * *

Orik awoke with a start. He had this terrible feeling, that something was _horribly wrong_ and he did not like it one bit.

The fire was out and Armilly wasn’t in her sleeping bag. The wind was blowing hard against his face.

He heard her _scream_. 

Swearing under his breath, Orik leaped out of his sleeping bag and followed her voice. His footsteps were clumsy due to the low light, making him go slower than he’d like. _His student was in danger, he needed to help her_. 

As he got closer to the sound of her voice he heard a splashing sound, like someone struggling in the water. If he remembered this part of the mountain correctly… he was at the small valley with the lake in it and she was _drowning!_

His heart was racing but Orik tried his best to smother his panic. Him being scared would not help Armilly one bit.

If the fire back at the cave was out, the cold must already be getting to her and this was going to make it all worse. He’d need something to dry her with, to keep her warm once he got her out of there…

As quickly as he could, Orik shed his robe and warm layers, placing them on the path. He then sprinted down the hill at breakneck speed. “I’m coming, ‘Milly!”

“Orik!”

She sounded so terrified and it _wrenched_ his heart. He had to save her _now!_

He dove into the icy waters, and, thank Algyron, it didn’t take long at all for him to find her. Orik wrapped his arm tightly around her chassis and started swimming to shore. The poor girl wrapped her freezing arms around his shoulders, shivering intensely. She buried her face into his chest and whimpered. 

He held Armilly tightly as he clambered onto shore, starting the daunting task of getting up the hill. “Hang in there, my Spark, we’re almost there,” he tried to soothe her, but his panic was getting to him, his voice wavering. 

It didn’t take long for Orik to notice that there was no warmth coming from Armilly’s middle, where her furnace was. Steambots could have a procedure done to waterproof their furnace from outside threats (if they weren’t already built with the safeguard), but it was costly and Armilly’s parents were saving up for it. He had it done, so it was no problem to him, but Armilly’s furnace was susceptible to the elements. The water probably snuffed her furnace completely—and she was now without her one source of heat and would freeze to death _soon_ if he didn’t find her help.

But what kind of help would he find out here, up in the mountains?

Scrap! If he couldn’t find any help, he would just have to help her himself. For now, he needed to get up this massive obstacle that was the hill.

“Oi there!” a booming voice above them called. Orik looked up and saw a large ‘bot with long hair holding a lantern. They tossed down a thick rope they were carrying, holding onto the other end.

As soon as the rope was within reach, Orik grabbed it and started pulling himself up, the stranger helping by pulling their end of the rope up. Between both of their efforts, Orik reached the top in record time. “Help me, please, my student fell into the icy lake. I think her furnace is completely snuffed.” Orik was finding it harder to stay calm. Armilly was getting worse by the second; she had stopped shivering, and _that was a very bad sign_. 

“Whatever fuel was in her furnace is soaked now and won’t be of any use.” The woman’s voice was gruff and serious. “I have some dry wood in my wagon, as well as some blankets. Come with me.”

Orik followed her, cradling Armilly to his chest. She felt freezing, and, without his layers, Orik was starting to feel cold himself. 

“Or—Orik,” the girl rasped out, dazed and delirious. “I’m...”

“Shhh, it’s okay, Milly. We’re going to warm you up.”

It was one of the largest wagons he’d ever seen, pulled by two of the biggest horses he’d ever seen. The steeds towered over him by a good three feet and had thick, fluffy layers of fur.

The woman set the lantern on a hook by the wagon’s door and led him inside. She spread a mat on the floor, and Orik hesitantly placed Armilly on it. The kid was unconscious, but her heart was still going, most likely pumping whatever steam was still in her up to her head. They could still save her.

The woman was breaking up some logs to fit into Armilly’s little furnace. She set the wood aside and grabbed a towel, coming up to both of them. “Where’s her furnace?” 

Orik had already pulled off her wet cloaks. “Right here,” he said, pointing to her belly.

“Grab the blanket from over there and wrap it around her,” the woman said, pointing to a blanket sitting in the corner. “I’m going to clean out her furnace.”

Orik did as he was told, leaving her head and tummy exposed while the woman worked. “Okay, lessee,” the woman said, fiddling with the hatch on Armilly’s furnace. “Sir, do you have any layers you can wear? You’re not looking too well yourself over there.” 

“Scrap,” said Orik, “I left my robes outside. I’ll be right back.” He walked back to the door of the wagon.

“You can take the lantern hanging by the door if you need it!” the woman said.

Orik did take the lantern and ran full pelt down the path. He easily found his robes and slipped them on—thankfully, the snowfall hadn’t completely soaked them through. 

They left their supplies back at the cave, he remembered. He had to go get them, fast…

Once he got there, he quickly rolled up the sleeping bags, and grabbed Armilly’s bag, then his. Something slipped out of his bag and landed on the stony ground with a clatter.

One of his masks, the Kirin mask, to be exact. He hadn’t donned that one in a long while. It was essential in fire-based magic, an element Orik found himself unable to fully grasp. He only had brought it along for emergencies…

Such as this.

He snatched the mask off the ground and set it on his forehead. He would do _anything_ to make sure Armilly was safe. Not just for himself, he had promised her _parents_ that she would return home safely…

His breathing hitched and he turned back towards the wagon, running as fast as his feet could carry him.


	2. Kindled

The woman had dried out Armilly’s furnace and placed a solid amount of wood in it. Now she had pulled out two stones, trying to spark the fire that would bring the poor, freezing child back to life.

“Why isn’t it working?!” the woman growled, scraping the rocks against each other harder.

Orik stumbled in on the scene, and immediately knew what he had to do. He dropped the supplies by the doorway and came up to them, pulling the mask down over his face. It immediately took effect, a power he hadn’t felt in a long time flowing through his limbs.

“Back up, let me try,” Orik said as he motioned for the woman to get out of the way, too flighty and anxious to notice the puzzled look on her face.

He got into position, spreading out his fingers, his hand hovering above the wood sitting snugly in Armilly’s furnace. Already the what-if’s were rising up in the back of his mind, was he already too late? Would he be able to summon even an ember? It’s been ages since he used fire magic…

Flames arose from his fingers and Orik gasped. Thinking quickly, he grabbed one of the logs, the direct contact immediately setting it on fire.

“What _is_ that?” the woman exclaimed.

“In my long life, I’ve learned to do many difficult things,” Orik explained in a shaky voice. He pulled his hand out and whipped the mask off his face to extinguish the flames on his fingers. “But I don’t think taking care of my student is something I’ll ever be able to figure out.”

He carefully closed up Armilly’s furnace and placed a hand under her neck, gingerly picking her up and setting her so that his chin was resting against her forehead. “Please wake up, ‘Milly. Come back to me.”

“Oh my...” the woman said, putting a hand to her mouth. “I knew I recognized you...”

“Now’s not a good time, _please_ ,” Orik hissed, unable to stop a stray tear from escaping his eyes, the teardrop leaving a trail down his face. He was a legendary hero, yes, but he did _not_ want his past to be dredged up right now. He just wanted his student to come back.

“You’re right, I’m so sorry...” she got down on her knees, brushing her hair – she had lock of solid gold hair, Orik just noticed – out of her face. “You got her here just in time, I think. She may have felt cold on the outside, but her boiler was still a little warm. I don’t think any water in there got frozen, just cold, if anything.”

Orik didn’t say anything; he just continued to hold Armilly close, praying to Algyron that the little girl that had brought so much _joy_ into his life would come back to him. He would never be able to forgive himself if she didn’t make it. 

T he minutes felt like hours as they tediously ticked by, the warmth coming from Armilly’s furnace slowly blooming through her body. The woman had gone to the front of the wagon and had gotten the horses to start going, the wagon shaking about as it traversed the tough terrain. 

Orik felt movement and his eyes flickered down to the child in his arms.

_She was stirring!_

Armilly blearily opened her eyes, blinking dazedly. “Orik?” she said in a small, horse voice. 

“I’m right here, my Spark,” Orik said, unable to stop the wobble in his voice. He wrapped his arms around her tighter, positioning himself so that their foreheads were touching. “ _I’m right here, you’re okay_...”

_She was okay_. Orik had to repeat it over again and again in his mind to reassure himself. She was _safe_ , she was _alive_ , and Orik was never going to let something like this ever happen to her again. 

As his adrenaline wore off, Orik couldn’t hold it in anymore and burst into tears, the stress he had accumulated during the situation breaking the metaphorical dam as he descending into quiet sobs. “I’m so _sorry_ , Armilly...” 

He could see the confusion, the sorrow in Armilly’s eyes as she weakly reached her arms to hug her mentor around his shoulders. “Why’re you crying, Orik?” 

She didn’t remember what happened… not yet at least; trauma will do that. Orik didn’t think he could take the emotional toll of recounting the incident to her right now…

“I’ll tell you another time, my Spark, I...”

Armilly squirmed a little bit and Orik repositioned her again, laying her head against his chest. She was shivering again... “I don’t want to talk about it right now,” said Orik. He just wanted to soak in the moment.

And soak it in he did. He held on to Armilly like she would vanish if he dared to let go, and Armilly did likewise; shivering and clinging to him, breathing in her mentor’s scent. For a long while the world around them seemed to disappear, just leaving the two of them there, holding each other tightly. Taking in and appreciating each other’s presence, both of them wondering what they ever did to deserve such a big part in each others’ lives.

“She pulled through!” the woman said from her perch in the front of the wagon. “I knew you could, little one. You’re a strong lass.”

Armilly giggled a bit in embarrassment. Her laughing was interrupted by a sneeze which shook her little body suddenly. It protested with a wave of pain and she whimpered, curling up closer to Orik. 

“I don’t think I introduced myself, did I?” the woman chuckled. “My name’s Valerie, but everyone calls me Goldilock, because of the golden lock of hair my parents gave me.”

Orik sniffled and wiped some of his tears away. He was starting to feel a bit better after letting that out, but he still felt tired and miserable. Not to mention his throat was killing him... “Nice to meet you, ma’am. This is Armilly, and I’m—”

“Oh I know who _you_ are. You’re Sir Orik! My parents told me about your escapades when I was goin’ through some emotional trouble back in my teens. Yours’ and Gilgamech’s accomplishments were mighty inspiring to me.”

Now there was something Orik heard countless times… It was bound to happen, considering they took down a Behemoth that was set on destroying the _world_ , but Orik didn’t like the attention that much.

Especially after the slight… falling out he had with Gilgamech. Apparently all the attention they were receiving wasn’t enough for him and his true colors were starting to shine through. Orik confronted him about it, things got loud and Orik ran off to Goosebucket, tears running down his face. What exactly they had said to each other, it was a bit of a blur now, but… Orik missed his friend. He wanted to reconcile with Gilgamech…

If only he could find him.

“Miss Goldilock, I’m… so happy, to hear that we helped, if indirectly,” Orik managed to get out. “But talking about it brings up some less than pleasant memories and I’d rather not discuss it right now...”

“Got it; forget I said anything,” Goldilock said without hesitation.

“Orik…?” Armilly said, her voice still scratchy. She somehow managed to squish her tiny self closer against Orik’s chest, hanging onto his shoulders in a vice grip. “I’m cold...”

“I know, my Spark,” said Orik, continuing to brush his fingers across the back of her head. “Your furnace was snuffed out, so it’ll take a while for your body to warm back up. I wouldn’t be surprised if your limbs were frozen at some point too.”

“It’ll also get warmer the further we travel down the mountain,” added Goldilock. “And you’re on the fastest wagon this side of Alysidhia, so it won’t be too long now… maybe, seven hours from here to the closest town?” She looked back at the two of them, huddled together like their life depended on it. “Where do you two need to go, anyway?”

“Goosebucket.”

“Got it, but...”

The worried tone in her voice did not go unnoticed, and Orik immediately picked up that something was wrong.

“You two should probably see a doctor first. You’re looking mighty flushed, Sir Orik, and the little one definitely needs to be checked over after all that.”

...So that’s why the chill in his limbs wouldn’t go away. That’s what he gets for jumping into the lake with only his undergarments on…

Armilly had lifted her head the instant she heard the word “doctor”, looking back at Goldilock with a look or terror, then at Orik, that terrified look intensifying at how worse for wear he looked.

“It’ll be okay Armilly,” he said, cupping her cheek in his hand. “It’s for the best...” his aching throat couldn’t take it anymore and he descended into a coughing fit, throwing his face into his elbow. Armilly quietly whimpered and hugged him again, realizing he wouldn’t have gotten sick if she hadn’t fallen in the lake.

“I’m sorry, Orik...”

After Orik finally stopped coughing and caught his breath, he hugged her back tightly. “Y—you have nothing to apologize for, my Spark,” he said despite his burning throat. “It was an accident.”

None of them could quite think of anything to say after that, so Armilly and Orik sat there, comforting each other, sniffles, coughs and sneezes from the both of them occasionally breaking the silence (as well as a random comment from Goldilock confirming that they definitely need to see a doctor and _soon_ ).

“Maybe you two should try to get some rest,” said Goldilock. “I know the wagon’s bumpy but we’re going to get out of the rocky terrain soon; it’ll be easier to fall asleep then.”

That was a good idea, they both decided.

With heavy eyes closed, they slowly slipped under.

* * *

“ _Scrap_! I knew I should’ve brought some extra blankets.” Orik awoke to an additional weight on top of him ( _a blanket_ ) and Goldilock holding his head up, trying to slip something underneath. He felt too tired and weak to do anything so he let her do whatever she was trying to do. She was big and could possibly crush them with her arms but she seemed sincere enough, so Orik trusted that she wouldn’t hurt them.

What his head was placed on further confirmed it: he felt himself sink into something wonderfully soft and cozy. She was just trying to keep them comfortable.

Goldilock must’ve noticed that he was awake. “We’re almost there… try to get a little more rest if ya can?”

Orik had no energy to argue and closed his optics again, ready to fall asleep—

Until Armilly started jolting with sharp coughs in his arms. He looked down at her, hugging her tighter. She was tiredly blinking at him, misery written all over her face. “Are we there yet, Orik?”

“I’m afraid not, my Spark, but hopefully we will be soon...” by Algyron, his throat felt even _worse_ than earlier...

“I hope so too,” added Goldilock. “We’re off the mountain, but now we’re stuck.”

Orik did notice at that m oment that the wagon wasn’t jerking around with movement anymore, the clip-clopping of the horses’ hooves silenced. “What happened?” 

“Bridge goin’ over Rocky River’s out. The engineers fixing it are snobby mule-heads that won’t accept my help. The next closest bridge is days away, so I figured we’ll just wait here.”

That wasn’t good; Orik promised Armilly’s parents he’d have her back by the weekend—between this and the inevitable doctor’s visit, he might not make it back in time. Armilly’s parents would understand, though, right? 

“How long have we been waiting here?”

“Two hours at the most; and you two have been out for about six. You aren’t running on limited time, are you?”

“I am, but I believe the other party involved will be understanding,” Orik explained.

“Sounds good. You, on the other hand, sound terrible.”

“I am aware...”

“Sure wish I could make you two more comfortable,” Goldilock said, nervously wringing her golden lock of hair in her hands. “I’ve already used all my blankets.”

“You didn’t anticipate extra passengers. You are doing the best with what you have.”

“Thank you…”

“No, thank you. You had no reason to help us but you did anyway. I can’t recall the last person like that I’ve met...”

Armilly started coughing again, and Orik started stroking her head again, hoping it would distract her from how crummy she must feel right now. “Orik,” she whimpered, “I’m still cold...”

Despite her saying this, she felt way too hot to Orik. “That’s because you have a temperature, I’m afraid.” She pressed her face into his chest, shivering. “I know, you don’t feel well… It’s okay; we’re going to get help soon.”

“I forgot to mention,” Goldilock said, “she was still awake a little after you passed out; said something about her chest hurting.”

Orik’s optics widened in concern and he looked down at his pupil. She looked awfully sleepy, her eyes half-closed. “Is your chest still bothering you, Armilly?”

“Yeah,” she rasped, “Hurts more when I cough.”

He wasn’t sure what that meant, but he was really hoping that it wasn’t anything serious. If anything bad happened to her while she was under his watch…

He didn’t like to think about the repercussions considering his title – especially considering that news spread through the village like wildfire – but Armilly’s parents would not be happy, that was for sure.

Yet another coughing fit wracked her small frame, and Orik held her even closer. “Oh, poor child,” said Goldilock. “I’m so sorry sweetie, I wish I could make you feel better.”

“So do I,” Orik said. Guilt was starting to eat him up; he never would have brought her up here if he knew that she would get sick…

This particular fit stole Armilly’s breath away and she was left panting heavily, shivering and clinging to Orik, tears slipping out of her eyes. Another whimper stole out of her aching throat and she squeezed her eyes closed. “Orik...”

“Shhh, I know, it hurts,” Orik consoled her, his heart breaking at how small, how _weak_ she sounded. “Try to get some rest, okay?”

The only response he received was a groan, and Orik couldn’t blame her, speaking with a sore throat was _terrible_. 

He sighed and held the back of her head, pressing a small kiss to her forehead, before wrapping his arms around her again and letting the darkness at the edges of his vision consume him.

* * *

He woke up groggy and disoriented, scattered voices fading in and out around him. It took a few minutes for Orik to fully get his bearings. He opened his eyes and saw some unfamiliar and very concerned faces hovering above him.

“Are you able to stand up and walk?” he heard one of them say.

His throat was killing him; he was pretty sure it would _really hurt_ to talk right now so he just pushed himself up with shaking arms, a spell of dizziness washing over him. He felt some hands grab his arms and shoulders to steady him. Slowly, Orik wobbled onto his feet, leaning heavily on the steambots supporting him.

His eyes shot open and darted around. “Armilly,” he gasped, his throat protesting with a burning pain that made him start coughing.

“Don’t worry, sir, your… friend is in good hands; the doctor is already taking a look at her.”

Why did they hesitate there, he wondered? Did they not know Armilly’s relation to him?

He didn’t have much time to dwell on it, as he was hurried out of the wagon, his unsteady legs barely able to keep up with the pace they were going. The next few minutes were a blur for him and all he knew was that at some point they had laid him down on a cot, removed his robe and placed a cool towel on his head. They then draped a thin blanket over him and left the room, quietly murmuring to each other. 

Why did everything _ache_ so much? His throat, his head, all of his limbs… If he felt this bad, he couldn’t even begin to comprehend how poor Armilly must feel. She was already in so much pain earlier; how much worse could she have gotten? 

Orik squeezed his eyes shut, rubbing the bridge of his nose to try and alleviate some of the pressure in his head. If he didn’t bring her up to the mountain none of this would’ve happened. She wouldn’t have fallen into the lake, they wouldn’t have become ill … 

She wouldn’t be in so much _pain_. 

That was absolutely the _last_ thing he wanted to do. He loved his student to bits, and although he could get rough with her during their training, it wasn’t anything close to _this_. 

An ache settled in his chest, but it wasn’t something from the sickness. This felt different…

He felt so _guilty_. 

* * *

He didn’t know when he fell asleep again, but the next thing he knew a hand on his shoulder was shaking him awake. Trying to ignore all the aches and pains shooting through his body, he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and looked up, finding a familiar face this time.

There was Goldilock, holding a bundled-up Armilly in her arms. Orik’s breath caught in his throat and he tried to push himself up on his elbows.

“Hey, it’s okay, relax,” Goldilock assured him. “She’s okay, she’s just very tired after a long day...” Carefully, she laid the girl down by his side, rearranging the blankets so they would be more comfortable. Orik took her face in his hands and took a good look at her.

She looked so peaceful, so relaxed as she slept, Orik almost envied her. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her close to himself, trying to stave off his tears. She was back by his side and he never wanted to let her go again.

“...How long was I out?” he asked, stroking Armilly’s head, almost more for his own comfort than her’s.

“I lot count, but a good bit of the day. You passed out this morning and now it’s just before sunset,” replied Goldilock. She sat down on a chair across from him. “Also, those engineers took their sweet old time to fix that bridge. I was about to leave for another bridge until I saw them actually making progress. We’re probably late for your arrangement now; I’m terribly sorry...”

“It was a situation out of your control; it’s not your fault.”

A nurse stepped into room, waving at Orik. “Hello, sorry for the rude awakening earlier...”

“No worries, you had to get me in here somehow,” said Orik, his voice still very scratchy.

She smiled and sat down on a nearby chair, and Orik then noticed that she was holding a few bottles in her arms. Medicine, he presumed. “We took a look at you and Armilly and thankfully, we got you two diagnosed fairly quickly.” She picked up a paper sitting on a counter against the wall, silently read it, and said, “You both have moisture clogging up your pipes, which is what’s causing all the discomfort. Armilly, however, also had some water leak into her bellows. It’s as uncomfortable as it sounds; it will probably take her longer to recover than you.”

She put the paper back on the counter and held up one of the bottles. “Take a teaspoon of these accelerants a day and you both should feel better in a week or so. Fair warning; they’ll probably make you feel sleepy.”

She put the bottles on the counter and stood up, folding her hands. “Do you require assistance getting out to your ride home?”

Orik blinked in surprise. “Wait, we can go home already?”

“Of course! This is nothing life threatening and something your bodies can work out on their own. Nothing that we have to keep you two under surveillance for.”

“I… thank you so much,” said Orik, smiling.

“We’re just doing our job.”

“I can help them outside,” Goldilock said, standing up from her seat. “Thanks again for everything.”

“No problem.” The nurse turned to Orik. “Get well soon!” she said gently, waving to him as she left. Orik returned the gesture, then tried to prop himself up on his elbows.

“Here, let me help,” said Goldilock. She gingerly hoisted Armilly up into her arms again – Orik only allowing her do so because he currently lacked the energy to do so himself – then let Orik hold onto her shoulder to pull himself up – which he only accomplished with great difficulty. This illness had drained him of his strength and he was not enjoying it. After grabbing the medicine – and Orik’s robe – they slowly wandered out of the office, Orik cherishing the sweet, warm summer evening air against his face.

After Orik settled down in the back of the wagon, Goldilock gave Armilly back to him and went back to the front, flicking the reins to start the horses trotting along.

Orik would have to find some way to repay her. She took so much time out of the past few days just to help them… He couldn’t remember the last time he met someone so kind, so caring.

Maybe a dinner would suffice.

* * *

They were almost home and Orik was so _tired_.

Armilly had woken up a few times along the way, but she never stayed awake for long, just enough for her to make sure Orik was there, then she fell asleep again, curled up against him. Orik comforted her all the while, whispering sweet nothings to her and stroking her hair, despite his own illness making him feel like complete and utter scrap. He had to be there for her, to be the comfort she needed, no matter the cost.

Once they had reached Goosebucket, Orik directed Goldilock to Armilly’s home and felt a huge wave of relief as the equines slowed to a stop. Goldilock came around back and offered to hold Armilly for him again, but Orik refused this time. “They wanted to see me bring her home safe and sound, and I have that promise to keep,” he told her. 

Cradling Armilly like she was made of porcelain, Orik very slowly made it out of the wagon, silently cursing his shaking legs for making him stumble around dizzily. Thankfully, he managed to make it to the front door with Goldilock’s help. She knocked on the door for him and backed up so Orik would be the center of attention. 

Armilly’s father answered the door. He looked gobsmacked.

“What happened to her?!” It almost sounded like a demand rather than a question.

“She—I can explain, I—”

“You know what, never mind, I don’t want to hear it,” he hissed, tearing the fragile girl from Orik’s arms. “I told you to have her back by the weekend, and you bring her back late, and in this state of being?!”

Armilly’s mother had run up behind him, looking like she had already cried her heart out and was now sobbing again, wondering what had happened to her little girl. At the same time though, she looked horrified at what her husband was doing, frantically shaking her head.

Orik’s throat felt like it was closing up; he could barely catch his breath. “Please, let me explain—”

“ _No!_ ”

They stared at each other, tensions and emotions running high. It felt so uncomfortable to Orik, he almost felt as if he was suffocating.

“I’ve had my doubts about you since day one, and now… I see that I’m right.”

The man’s words were sharp and tore into Orik’s heart; and he knew right then and there that he had been cut off from Armilly’s family.

Armilly’s mother shook her head once more and grabbed her husband’s shoulder. “Honey, please, we don’t have to be so—”

The door slammed shut and Orik flinched, losing his balance and falling right into Goldilock’s arms. The silence was _deafening_.

“Are you okay?”

Orik’s answer was straight to the point. “No.”

* * *

Orik opted to sit at the front of the wagon with Goldilock on the way to his cottage. He kept his gaze downward, watching the mighty steeds before them carry their load with ease, manes bristling about in the breeze.

When they reached his home, Goldilock helped him step off and led him up to the front door. Orik stopped right in front of it, his shoulders imperceptibly trembling. Goldilock felt so _awkward_ , she knew she had witnessed his heart being metaphorically torn out of his chest but she didn’t quite know what to say to him. The fact that she didn’t know him very well _and_ that he was a _hero of legend_ did nothing to help.

“...Sir Orik, I… I’m so sorry,” she said, putting a hand on his shoulder. Orik drooped with a sigh. “I wish I could do more to help, but it’s not my business to invade on family matters...”

“You aren’t obligated to help me. You’ve already helped me so much and I have no idea how to go about thanking you.” Orik turned around. “From the bottom of my heart...”

He swallowed hard. She could see the tears forming in his eyes. “I thank you.”

Goldilock looked down, face ridden with guilt. “Do you—do you have anyone you could talk to? To confide in?...Where’s Gilgamech, if I may ask?”

Orik’s breathing was shaky now, the shivering in his shoulders becoming more noticeable. “I don’t know; he’s missing, he disappeared a while ago and I’ve been looking for him and I—” the words were spilling out of his mouth, and Goldilock squeezing his shoulder prompted him to stop, take a deep breath to compose himself, and let it out, closing his eyes.

A large pair of arms suddenly wrapped him in a gentle, warm embrace. “I hope things get better for you. I live in a log cabin with a red roof in the forest on the way to the mountains; you’re always welcome if you need anything.”

A painful lump formed fierce and fast in his throat and it took all that was in him to choke down his tears. Orik limply hugged her back, to let her know the gesture was deeply appreciated because he didn’t think he could even open his mouth without spiraling into uncontrollable sobbing.

Goldilock slowly pulled away from him, sighed and lumbered back to her wagon. She had her horses go at a steady stroll, in no hurry to get home for the night.

On the contrary, Orik had immediately rushed inside his cottage after she rounded the corner, out of sight. He slammed his door shut with such a fury that the doorframe rattled, and he scattered his belongings to the floor carelessly. “Stupid, stupid, stupid, _stupid!_ ” he yelled, unshiething his katana and letting out his anger on the wall. His sword got stuck in the wood, and the force was enough to rattle a nearby table and cause a vase on top to wobble precariously and careen to the floor, splitting into pieces with a shatter.

He stood there, panting heavily, before his choler started to dissolve. He sunk to the floor, hands on his face, tears flowing from his optics.

Orik _screamed_ in grief. His body was shaking hard, everything hurting and _burning_ and it all was falling apart around him—

He fell onto his side, a high-pitched keen tearing out of his aching throat. He lost his Spark and it was all thanks to his own stupidity. Just like when he had that fight with Gilgamech; he had _stupid_ ideas and _stupid_ decisions that messed up _everything_ and now—

Now he was all alone again.

The light in his life was gone and he had been plunged back into darkness.

* * *

The first thing Armilly discovered when she woke up was that she wasn’t in the wagon any more. Her entire body was still aching—there was a wet towel on her forehead, presumably to help with her fever. She was swaddled in heavy blankets.

She opened her eyes—she recognized that ceiling well; she was in her room! When did they get home…?

Wait, where was Orik?

She grunted as she sat up a little, not caring that the towel fell off her head. A quick glance around the room revealed that Orik was _not_ there and a bad feeling started forming at the pit of her boiler.

Armilly swung her legs off the side of her bed and slid off, ignoring the dizzy sensation that threatened to send her crashing to the floor. She walked up to the door that led to the hall, ready to open it until she heard voices—her parents’ voices. They sounded loud and awfully upset about something…

Armilly pressed her auditor to the door, listening carefully.

“I still think you were way too harsh on him,” her mother said.

Her father’s response was filled with anger. “Look at the condition our daughter’s in. Burning up with a fever, signs of physical stress on her body—”

“Do you really think Sir Orik purposely let her get to this point?”

“I—no, but… Armilly is very clearly put in danger under his watch.”

“He does his best to keep her safe—”

“You don’t know that!”

“Neither do _you!_ Listen, we don’t even know what happened up there and it’s because you didn’t even give the poor guy a chance to explain.”

There was a moment of silence and even little Armilly could sense the tension between them.

“...I don’t want Armilly to be around him anymore. I… I don’t want to lose my little girl.”

“Oh, honey, I don’t either, but… You were still very harsh on Sir Orik. And are we really gonna crush our little girl’s dreams, just like that? She wants to be a hero so badly...”

“...If it means she gets to live a full, purposeful life, then yes. We are.”

Armilly descended into panic. She couldn’t get to hang out with Orik anymore?! That wasn’t fair, It wasn’t his fault she fell into the lake because she saw Gilgamech and—

_She forgot to tell Orik about Gilgamech!_

O rik was looking for Gilgamech and he was _right there_ and Armilly couldn’t believe she let that slip her mind… Orik would still want to know that he was there, right? Would that count as one of those “leads” he was looking for? 

Where was Orik, anyway? If he wasn’t here, was he at his own house? All alone and—

_He was sick!_ Sick people shouldn’t be left alone; they might need help! Unless that nice lady Goldilock stayed with him, but… 

Armilly didn’t know for sure and it was starting to worry her, which didn’t help the bubble of nausea in her stomach. She had to make sure her mentor, _her friend_ was okay; she needed to help him and tell him about Gilgamech— 

Her sword was leaning against the nightstand. She snatched it before she could fully process what she was doing in her fever ish state and ran towards the window. 

* * *

“...I really do think that you could have handled this whole thing better,” Armilly’s mother said. She had settled on the couch next to her husband, an arm on his back. He looked stressed out of his mind, elbows on his knees and face in his hands. He sighed heavily.

“I know, but what can I do about it now?”

“Go back to Sir Orik? Apologize and at least listen to his explanation?”

A loud smash drew their gaze to Armilly’s door. They sprung up and burst in—

The covers on Armilly’s bed were drawn back, revealing it to be empty. The window had been broken, glass shards littering the floor.

“Oh Algyron, no.”

* * *

Armilly’s sickness did not deter her from running as fast as her shaking legs could carry her, the cold, crisp night air stinging her bellows. She was struggling for breath but pushed on, knowing that her parents would be coming to drag her back home. She didn’t care what kind of punishment she would receive; she just wanted to make sure Orik was okay…

She ran up to the cottage, pounding on his door. “Orik?!” she cried. When she received no answer, she tried the doorknob—

It was unlocked. Orik never left his door unlocked. This was a _bad_ sign.

She pushed open the door and rushed in. Orik was lying on his side on the floor, holding his hands up to his mouth. His breathing sounded quick and labored, he was shivering intensely, and he was so curled up into himself he looked uncomfortable. His eyes were open, but he seemed to be unaware of what was happening around him because he had no reaction to Armilly bursting in on him. 

“Orik?!” Armilly knelt down in front of him and shook his shoulder forcefully. “Orik, what’s wrong?!”

* * *

Orik had laid on the floor and cried his heart out for what felt like hours, barely aware of the cold seeping through his limbs. Before he knew it he had fallen into a state of delirium, thanks to both the cold and the fever affecting him.

His vision was swimming, thoughts melded into each other until they became an unrecognizable mess which confused him—and only made him cry more.

Then his mind started to play even more cruel tricks on him—Armilly was suddenly in front of him, calling out for him. He had failed her as a mentor, why was she here? She had nearly died because of him; she wasn’t supposed to be here. It all had to be a hallucination…

Oh, Algyron, how he missed her so; her bubbly giggles, her passion for training, the stars in her eyes and the way she clung to him when she sought comfort… it all brought so much joy and hope into his life, hope that he would bounce back from the depression his disagreement with Gilgamech had brought him. All that hope was gone now and Orik was sure he would spend the rest of his life in despair.

* * *

“Ar—Armilly?” was all Orik muttered out, staring at her as the tears rolled down his face. His gaze eventually lost focus and his head went limp again.

The poor girl wasn’t sure what was wrong; he was definitely sick, but how? And what could she do about it?

He was shivering; was he cold? Armilly could start a fire in the hearth for him. She just needed to get him over there first.

Even though she was very strong for her age, her own illness had drained her of most of it and dragging her mentor over to the hearth was quite a challenge. She did it, though, and laid him down on his back. She covered him with a blanket from the couch and then the went to the hearth.

Armilly quickly found where Orik kept his firewood and tinder. She scattered the tinder material—dead pine needles—into the empty hearth, and then grabbed as many twigs as she could handle, trying to mimic the teepee arrangement he had constructed earlier. She threw more pine needles in, then more twigs, then finally the largest logs—with another sprinkling of pine needles to be safe.

Armilly grabbed her sword and stuck the tip into the pile of pine needles, sighing and trying to focus despite her ever-growing panic. She didn’t want to use her sword but her mentor was cold and she needed to get this fire going quick—

The pine needles burst into flames the second her sword was alight, the flames so intense they shot out of the hearth’s mouth with a crackling roar. Armilly yelped in fear and dropped her sword, stumbled back and clung to her mentor. She put too many pine needles in, now the fire was too big and would spread through the house—

“Armilly!”

Her mother’s voice boomed through the room like the deafening roar of a lion. Poor little Armilly was startled so badly she backed right into the table behind her, which sent a white-hot pain shooting through her back.

It was all too much for her to handle in that moment. Everything hurt, her mentor was sick and she couldn’t take care of him, and now her parents were here and she was surely in trouble. Sinking to the floor, she hugged her knees to her chest and swallowed the quickly-forming lump in her throat. Her efforts to keep herself from sobbing were in vain and the tears started to flow.

“Armilly?! What’s wrong?”

She felt her mother swoop in beside her like a hawk, then scoop her up into her arms.

“I—I don’t wanna stop hanging out with Orik…”

“Shhh, sweetheart, we’ll take care of him… just rest…”

* * *

Orik was met with the scent of his couch as he slowly woke up from a sleep that didn’t want to let go. His body felt heavy, but also so warm. A massive improvement over the frigid cold that he remembered gripping his body.

What else did he remember… Oh, right. Armilly’s family disowned him. He must have passed out on the couch once he got home.

Now what?

Considering the long run, that was a question he could not answer. But for the immediate future, getting to somewhere more comfortable for his aching body sounded like a good idea.

Grunting in pain, he pulled his arms from the blanket he was evidently wrapped in and pushed himself into a sitting position.

“Orik?”

He didn’t remember letting anyone into his house. _Certainly_ not Armilly’s parents, nor Armilly herself, who was fast asleep in her mother’s arms.

“...Mrs. Lionheart —” 

“ You can call me ‘Joy’, Orik. We’ve been through this before.” Her stern look didn’t match the playful, if tired tone in her voice. 

“Right, sorry.”

Arthur was seated on the floor beside her. Orik could see a fire in his eyes, a fire of fury — a dying, dim fury — but what had darkened it, Orik didn’t know. 

“I’m sorry about… what happened earlier, Orik,” he said, after a beat. “After I saw the state Armilly was in, I… I don’t know what got into me. It was like I was possessed.” He turned, finally finding the courage to look Orik in the eye. “Still, I think we deserve an explanation of what happened to our daughter.”

* * *

And so Orik regaled them about their mountain journey—from Armilly falling into the lake, meeting Goldilock, them saving Armilly’s life. The girl in question woke up halfway through, and, upon seeing that Orik was awake, tried to butt into the conversation—however eager she was, however, her parents reminded her time and time again to wait her turn before speaking.

“I take the blame for what happened to Armilly, and I am ready to face whatever consequence that may come of it,” Orik said after finishing, head hanging low. “I am truly sorry, though I understand I may never be able to apologize enough for what I’ve done.” 

The only sound that could be heard for the following minute was the fire popping in the hearth. Then, Arthur spoke: 

“...It’s okay, Sir Orik. It wasn’t your fault. And the fact that you did whatever it took to make sure she got home _alive…_ I see now, how hasty I was.” He stood up from the chair. That fury had dimmed, and a somber, guilty look settled on his features. “As long as you promise that her well-being is in your best interest, you may continue training her for as long as she wants.” 

Orik felt his heart jump into his throat. “I—… I promise I will protect her with my very life.” Despite his aching body, he stood up, and knelt down, head held low. “I swear, on my honor.”

There was a shuffling, then, approaching footsteps — and suddenly a pair of small arms were around his collar, squeezing tight. Orik melted out of his tense position and sat down, returning the hug. “It’s okay, my Spark.” 

Soon after, Joy knelt down beside him, and hugged him as well. “Thank you for taking care of our daughter.” 

* * *

Later that night, the family gathered around the fire once more, nursing mugs of tea that Joy had so graciously made for them. Orik was seated next to Armilly, and he felt… at peace. It was an odd feeling, after all that had happened today—but he was grateful that everything had worked out, in the end.

“What did you want to tell us about earlier, Armilly?” 

The girl perked up, a bit of energy brightening her tired eyes. Despite this, she had an unusually serious look to her face that gripped at Orik’s stomach like a vine. 

“I saw Gilgamech up there. I had called to him for help, but he just ran away.” 

For a moment, Orik forgot about the ailments wracking his body and an overwhelming sense of anxiety took their place. After all this time… Gilgamech was up there? What was he even doing?! Last time Orik checked, the Temperance had been abandoned—and seeing it so empty filled Orik with a hollowness that made his steam crawl. 

Especially considering he had gone back to look for a close friend of his. 

Nevertheless, after the initial shock, he felt a hope bloom in his chest. This was the first real lead he’s had in _years._ Perhaps he could finally meet up with Gilgamech again, make amends… or was he just chasing the glory days he had with his old chaps, and yearning to live in those happy memories again?

Orik wasn’t sure. But at least he had an idea of what to do now.

“...Orik?” Armilly’s weak voice said, snapping Orik out of his thoughts.

“Sorry Armilly, I was… thinking.” He shifted into a more comfortable sitting position. “Thank you.” 

“...Are you okay?” 

“I think so, my Spark.” He wrapped an arm around her, and she leaned into his side. “I’ll figure out what to do, in time. For now, we should rest...” 

**Author's Note:**

> Believe it or not I had like, 90% of this fic written for ages and it was just sitting there. I've gotten around to working on it and cleaning it up recently, so hopefully soon I'll get the 2nd chapter out.
> 
> Goldilock was there in that pic at the top but if anyone wants a pic that shows her design better: https://doodlesei.tumblr.com/post/637265610762502144/got-nothing-to-show-from-those-2-weeks-but-a


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